Isaiah 61:5

Authorized King James Version

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

Word-by-Word Analysis

וְעָמְד֣וּ

H5975

shall stand

to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)

זָרִ֔ים

H2114

And strangers

to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery

וְרָע֖וּ

H7462

and feed

to tend a flock; i.e., pasture it; intransitively, to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a frie

צֹאנְכֶ֑ם

H6629

your flocks

a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)

וּבְנֵ֣י

H1121

and the sons

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

נֵכָ֔ר

H5236

of the alien

foreign, or (concretely) a foreigner, or (abstractly) heathendom

אִכָּרֵיכֶ֖ם

H406

shall be your plowmen

a farmer

וְכֹרְמֵיכֶֽם׃

H3755

and your vinedressers

a vinedresser

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Isaiah Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection

What systematic theological implications arise from this verse's treatment of salvation, and how does it contribute to a biblical theology of soteriology and the doctrine of salvation?
How does the salvation theme in this verse connect to the overarching narrative of Scripture, and what does this reveal about God's character and purposes?
How does this passage contribute to our understanding of from physical deliverance in the Old Testament to spiritual redemption in the New, and what implications does this have for Christian discipleship?

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